1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of article handling devices, and more specifically to a device that permits secure storage of articles which require ventilation and visibility during storage.
2. Background of the Invention
Many activities require that special clothing be worn by the person engaged in the activity. Many such activities require that the special clothing be worn for relatively brief time periods, such as during participation in a sport, firefighting or utility repair work. This type of "turnout" clothing is typically worn during strenuous physical activity in outdoor environments, resulting in clothing that is often soiled and damp after use. Cleaning and drying of such clothing after each use is often impractical since the clothing must either be kept available for emergency use or is so bulky or complex that cleaning is a time consuming and expensive process.
Such clothing and accessories are best stored at the workplace, and when used, the wearer's normal attire must then be stored, usually in the same place or container as the work clothes. The traditional solution to this problem is the installation of some sort of locker or closet.
In order to provide security, lockers are constructed with solid walls and doors, with a number of vents, holes or slits in the door to provide ventilation. Lockers are typically constructed so as to abut or share a common wall with an adjacent locker, resulting in a row or bank of lockers lining a wall in a gymnasium or fire station. While such an arrangement provides a relatively high level of security, ventilation is poor and the contents of each locker are concealed from view, thereby preventing a rapid method of taking inventory. Labels are also required for each locker in order to identify its contents or its owner. Due to the use of solid walls, doors and floors, the interior of the locker is usually not well illuminated and is difficult to keep clean, especially due to the accumulation of debris on the floor of the locker.
The traditional locker is constructed as a solid rectangle of nonadjustable dimensions, with each adjacent locker having identical dimensions. In order to change locker dimensions, some lockers in the bank must be removed and a new, custom made locker must be substituted in their place. The difficulty and expense of such an operation results in its seldom being performed even when needed. Instead, items are forced into an undersized locker or some required materials are stored in different locations. For example, the clothing needed by a pipeline repair person may be stored in a locker, but needed tools, footwear or headgear may be stored in a separate room since they will not fit in a locker designed only for clothing. This arrangement requires the repair person to go to different locations and consume additional time in order to properly prepare for work.
Ideally, the dimensions of a clothing and accessory storage system would be readily adjustable to accommodate different items in adjacent lockers. The stored articles would be visible without the need to open a door or provide additional illumination. The stored articles would be well ventilated to promote drying and reduce odor; and cleaning of the interior of the storage system would be easily accomplished, or better yet, not even be required. An ideal storage system would be strong in order to provide the required security, but lightweight enough to permit easy installation and relocation. Finally, installation and modification of an improved storage system should be relatively simple as well as adaptable to existing locations rather than requiring the designer of a building to specifically plan for the installation of a prefabricated array of lockers in a dedicated space.